


Some Might Call It True Love

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Series: Healing Music Suite No. 1: Love Affair of a Museum Curator and a Doctor [5]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Fluff, Half-Troll!Jim, Romance, Romantic Comedy, bisexual!barbara, elementary school teacher!nomura, is 8 or 9 in this, kid!Jim, lesbian!nomura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-08 18:17:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15935726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Since the first day of 3rd Grade, (half-troll) Jim has been trying to get his mom together with his changeling teacher, Ms. Nomura.This is the story of how that happens.





	1. Jim the Matchmaker

It was logic.Really.It was.Jim didn’t _want_ another Dad cause dads _sucked._ Ergo, it made perfect sense that if he was going to have another parent, it would have to be another Mom (cause Jim loved his mom, she was _great_ ).The only question was _who_.

The answer came on the first day of the new school year.Jim had been nervous about meeting his new teacher right up until the moment he saw her for the first time.People tended to react not-so-well to him.The best ones just asked some questions (what was _wrong_ with him anyway?Was he born like that?Weird.) that Jim never liked but his Mom always answered politely through a smile that could very easily twist into a grimace.The worst treated him like he was some sort of fascinating _thing_ that existed for their entertainment (oh, look at the little guy, isn’t he adorable?Can I get a picture with him?).Jim tended to hide behind his mom from those ones (when he was little) or scowl at them (now that he was older).Teachers were not excluded from these categories, though they tended to fall somewhere in the middle.

Experience had taught Jim that meeting a New Person was an anxiety-inducing event, especially if that someone was a teacher who he’d have to see Every Single Day.So, when he nervously walked into school for the first day of third grade and saw his new teacher, Ms. Nomura, for the first time, he’d been happy.Very, very happy.

Ms. Nomura was _like_ _him_.

She was a troll.Ok, a changeling, but all _that_ meant was that she could shapeshift into a human form if she wanted to.Anyway, Jim wasn’t a full troll either since Mom was a human, so they really were similar.In a move that had surprised everyone, Jim had hugged his new teacher.

That, however, hadn’t been enough to get her to be his New Second Mom, which was somewhat disappointing.But it was okay, Jim had just realized that Ms. Nomura was The One.It was gonna happen.Eventually.

After two days, he got tired of waiting for it to happen on its own.Plus, Ms. Nomura and his mom barely spent time together (they spent like no time together ever except at the end of the day for like two seconds when Jim’s mom came to pick him up).So, Jim decided this must be like one of those task things he’d get a gold star sticker on the big poster at the back of the classroom for if he did.A _quest._

“I think,” he told his new best friend, Toby, one day while working on an arts and crafts project, “My mom and Ms. Nomura are supposed to be in love, like a fairy tale.”

“Really?”Tobes was interested in less than a second.Ever since he’d gone on an enthusiastic rant the first day of school, Jim had known he loved fantasy and magic.Ergo, Tobes was the best person to help him in his quest.Also, he was Jim’s Best Friend Forever and Jim would choose absolutely no one else for the task.

“But we gotta get them together ourselves cause they aren’t doing anything about it.”

* * *

“Thank you for coming in on such short notice.”Nomura let Jim’s mom, Barbara, into her classroom.“I hope we can find a solution to our, uh, little problem.”

Barbara sighed.“You mean the fact my son seems determined to matchmake us?”

“Well, yes.That.”Nomura sat down behind her desk.In the beginning it had been understandable, and almost cute.As a half-troll, Jim didn’t have many adults to look up to who had an appearance remotely similar to his own.So his fixation on her, a changeling, made sense.However, his attempts to have her and his mom get together, arguably to have her take on a more parental role in his life, had quickly gone from minor things like making her valentine’s cards “from Barbara” to leading the entire class in a mission to trap them in the supplies closet together and refuse to let them out until they realized it was ‘True Love’.

It was almost scary how easily her students could forget their petty squabbles and work together efficiently toward a common goal when properly motivated.Now, if only she could get them to do that when it was literally anything other than ‘True Love’.

“I don’t suppose you have any ideas?”Barbara asked.“I’ve tried talking to Jim, but he’s, ah, very determined.”She winced.“Sorry.” 

Nomura frowned.“As his mother, I was hoping you did.”She straightened her schedule book on her desk.“Not that I blame you for any of this, ” she hastily added.“Does he do this sort of thing often?”

“No.No, this is a first for Jim.”Barbara sat down in the chair opposite Nomura.She rubbed her temples with her hands.“Generally, he doesn’t like it when I date.The last time I did, he protested until I broke it off with the guy.”She shrugged at Nomura’s questioning expression.“What?I’m not just going to continue dating a guy my kid hates.”

“That’s fine.”Nomura said.“But I’m curious now as to why he’d try to get _us_ together if you like—”

“Oh, I’m bisexual.”Barbara interrupted her.“I explained it to Jim a year or two ago for Pride.He’s sort of assumed it means I can fall in love with everyone, which I suppose is true in a way, but I wasn’t really expecting him to take it to this point.”She paused.“Are you…?”

“I’m gay,” Nomura clarified.“But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread that info around.Some of the parents here aren’t exactly _open_ to such things.”

“Trust me, I won’t.”

There was a moment of silence where both women were thinking.Then, Nomura said, “I have an idea.”When Barbara looked at her, she continued, “You can veto this if it makes you uncomfortable.But since Jim is determined to see us together, I think it’s worth a shot.We could go on a date.A _pretend_ date.Let him think he’s finally gotten us together.Then, when it doesn’t “work out” between us, we could use it as a learning experience that sometimes things don’t always go the way he wants.”

Barbara mused on the idea.“I like it.Knowing Jim, it just might work too.”With a wry grin, she added, “So are you free this Friday night?”

“Pick me up around 8?”Nomura answered.

“I did an appendectomy for the owner of a local, romantic restaurant a while back so I can probably get us a reservation on short notice.”Barbara took out her phone.“Can I have your number so I can call you later with the details?”

“Sure.”Nomura took out her own.“And call me ‘Zelda’ now.If we’re doing this, we’re going to have to be convincing.”

“Alright, _Zelda._ ”Barbara handed over her phone so Nomura could add in her number.“I’m looking forward to seeing you this Friday.”

“Likewise.”

It was a simple plan, really.With very few ways for it to go wrong.


	2. Strawberry-Chocolate Milkshakes

“That could have gone better,” Barbara mused.

“That’s an understatement.”Nomura sighed.She leaned against the cold, cement-block wall of the holding cell.“For the record, this isn’t exactly how I thought I’d wind up in prison for the first time.”

“Oh?”Barbara leaned on the wall next to her.“And how, might I ask, did you plan on ending up in prison?”

Nomura chuckled.“I wouldn’t say I planned on it, but I’ve always sort of assumed it would be because I stole an ancient urn from a museum or something.”

“A pot?”Barbara gave her an incredulous look.“You’d break into a museum for a _pot_?”

“Not just any pot, mind you.Probably one that’s being held in storage that they’re never going to display anyway so they don’t really have a use for it.Pottery is an interest of mine.”Nomura eyed Barbara.“Before I got into teaching I thought I’d be an archeologist.”

Barbara smiled at her.“Now I’m interested.You have to tell me more.”

“Really?It’s not exactly a thrilling story.”Nomura let out a breath.“I used to babysit kids a lot.It was fun when I could get them engaged and eager to listen to a bedtime story.So I decided I wanted to be an educator.That way, I could have a warm, goody feeling about what I did all the time.”She shrugged.“I let the whole archeology thing go after a year or two of college.It just seemed easier not to go for it.More security in having a job in a city I know I guess.”She turned toward Barbara.“Now _you_ tell me something personal about _yourself_.”

Barbara looked like she was going to protest, but she didn’t.“Um, okay, I really like strawberry milkshakes.”

“That doesn’t count.”Nomura made a face at her.“I said _personal_.Tell me something you wouldn’t tell me if we weren’t stuck in a holding cell together.”She paused.“Jim.The story there.It’s not everyday a half-troll kid walks into one’s classroom.”

Barbara groaned.“I was young.Fell in love with a guy who happened to be a troll.That part didn’t exactly work out, but hey I got a kid out of the disaster.A good kid.The _best_ kid.Way better than his mom at least.”

“I don’t think your _that_ bad,” Nomura said after a minute.“I’ve met a lot of parents and, compared to some of them, you’re practically angelic.”

“Angelic?”Barbara laughed.“I got you thrown in _prison_.”

“Still better than some of them.”

They fell into a not quite amiable silence.

After enough of the quiet, Nomura said, “You didn’t have to defend me.”

“Yes,” Barbara answered softly.“I did.”

“She would have shut up about it eventually.”Nomura muttered.“They always do.Eventually.”

Barbara turned to her, anger in her eyes.“We deserved to have our evening too.Sure, it may not have been a real date, but I wasn’t just going to let some bigot ruin it just because she thinks—”

“I should have just changed.”Nomura cut her off.“That would have saved us all this trouble.”

“You say that as if I wouldn’t have punched her in the face anyway.”Barbara grumbled.“Look, you didn’t have to stick around.I _told_ you to get out of there.”

Nomura stared at Barbara.“You really would have punched her anyway?”

Barbara blew a stray strand of hair out of her face.“Fuck yes.I have a _half-troll_ kid, Zelda.Do you know the kind of shit I hear on a regular basis?Thankfully most of it goes right over Jim’s head, but he’s getting older.Someday soon I won’t be able to protect him from people like that idiotic woman anymore.”She closed her eyes.“Maybe I was just tired of hearing the world’s shittier opinions about trolls for once.Sorry.I didn’t mean to pick the battle for you.”

After a minute, Nomura admitted, “Honestly?It was kind of nice.No one’s defended me quite like that before.”After a pause, she added, “If we were for-real dating, I would have found it kind of hot.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

No, Nomura wasn’t, but she said as much anyway.The one truth of her entire life was that the human world wasn’t kind to changelings (neither was the troll world for that matter).Outside of the whole being tossed in a holding cell as a result, the fact that Barbara had defended her against a woman who saw her very existence in public space as a personal attack meant a lot to her.

It wasn’t easy to admit to that though.

So, Nomura let silence return and, after a while, rested her head on Barbara’s shoulder, with the minor excuse that she was tired.Barbara didn’t comment, but leaned on Nomura in return.They didn’t discuss that or the fact their hands were in extreme close proximity to each other.At all.When Nomura’s old friend, Otto, finally came and bailed them out, they got up, brushed themselves off, and walked out calmly without talking about any of It.Because there was no It.It didn’t _exist_.

“There’s, um, there’s this 24hr place nearby,” Barbara commented after Otto drove off from taking them to pick up their cars.“It has these really good milkshakes.It’s the least I can do after getting you thrown in jail.”

Nomura smiled.“Sure, I’d love that.”

In the end, their first “date” ended up being in the corner booth of an old-fashioned styled malt shop run by a man who didn’t blink at Nomura’s troll form and knew Barbara by name.

“I come here with Jim a lot,” Barbara explained.“Bob had a troll uncle, so he doesn’t make a big deal out of things or let anyone mess with Jim either.So, what do you think?”She asked when Nomura took a first sip of her strawberry milkshake, which Barbara had convinced her to try.

Nomura scrunched up her nose.“Yeah, um, yeah.Strawberry.Not my thing.”

“Oh, come on.It’s so _good_.”Barbara protested, then sighed in defeat.“For me, at least.One day.One day, I will find somebody who loves strawberry just as much as I do and that person will be my soulmate,” she declared.

A small voice at the back of Nomura’s mind told her it wasn’t too late to change her mind about the flavor.She sipped her milkshake again.Nope.No, that wasn’t going to work.Nomura’s eyes wandered over to the counter, where Bob was quietly cleaning.The idea hit her.“Stay here.”She grabbed both their milkshakes and took them over to the restaurant employee.

“Hey, I was drinking that!”Barbara protested again, but Nomura ignored her.

Nomura returned a few minutes later with the same milkshakes, though they were slightly altered.“Try this.”She pushed Barbara’s back over to her.“It’s not completely strawberry, but Bob assures me it’s still really good.”

Barbara sipped the drink through her straw.“Mhmm.What is it?”

“Strawberry _and_ chocolate.”Nomura smirked.“Cause _I_ love chocolate.”

“Nice.”Barbara smiled back.She slid her shake over to Nomura’s so she could clink them together.“Cheers!”

They drank their milkshakes and then departed.As they were walking back to their respective cars, Barbara stopped Nomura.

“Wait, hold up.”Barbara grabbed Nomura’s arm to stop her from going further.“You have a bit of whip cream stuck to your lip.”She pulled Nomura in closer.“Right about here…” Her words ended in a whisper.Then, for the briefest of seconds, Nomura felt Barbara’s lips press up against her own.

Then the second was over and Barbara was hurrying to her car while Nomura stood there in a daze.She brought her hand to her lips, where she could still feel warmth from the kiss.With the smallest of smiles, Nomura finally departed as well.


	3. Together, We're Family

“Hey, mom, when are you and Ms. Nomura getting married?”

Barbara nearly choked on her breakfast cereal. “What gave you that idea, kiddo?”

“Cause that’s what you do when you’re in love.”Jim didn’t look at her as he spoke.

Barbara dipped her spoon in her bowl, watching as the milk stained with rainbow colors from the Froot Loops swirled.“Sometimes, kiddo, things don’t work out the way we want them to.Remember how we had that talk about personal space and boundaries after the closet incident?”

“Yeah.”Jim hunched his shoulders.“I’m still really sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.Just remember that you can’t make people do things they don’t want to do just because you want them to.”Barbara put her hand on her son’s shoulder.“Everyone has the freedom to make their own choices.”

“So, you and Ms. Nomura aren’t gonna get married?”

“No, kiddo.We’re not.”Barbara exhaled.That had been a lot easier than she expected.

“But, you’re still in love though, right?”

Barbara put down her spoon.She folded her hands together and rested her elbows on the kitchen table.This was as good a time as any.“Jim, Ms. Nomura and I are _very good friends_ but we aren’t in love.”

They’d spent a significant amount of time together these past few weeks to keep up their ruse, though.After their ‘first date’, Zelda had invited her to the symphony, then Barbara had returned the favor by taking Zelda to an art gallery opening.They’d had quite a bit of fun having a picnic in the park before heading to a museum exhibit, where they joked about heisting ancient Greek pottery.

It all had to come to an end at some point, though, and it occurred to Barbara that that morning might just be that moment.

“Do you understand, Jim?”She asked, almost hesitantly.“Ms. Nomura and I talked it over.”They hadn’t, but this had been the plan all along and she was sure Zelda would agree with what she was doing here.“We’ll be friends.You’ll get to see Ms. Nomura everyday in school.But we aren’t going to be a couple.”

“Oh.”Jim looked looked at his feet.“Okay.”

It was a quiet acceptance, but it was still an acceptance.

When she dropped Jim off that morning, Barbara stopped in to see Zelda.“I got Jim to believe we aren’t a couple,” she told the elementary school teacher.“So, we don’t have to pretend anymore.”

For the briefest second, Zelda frowned, but then the expression was gone.“That’s great.”She answered politely.“But I already got us tickets for the music festival this weekend.Should I—?”

“I told him we’re still going to be friends.”Barbara rushed in cutting her off.“So we can still go.”

* * *

Barbara put on her apron and headed behind the counter of Bella’s Coffee Shop.Being a barista wasn’t her dream job, but Bella paid well and was flexible to things like needing off work cause Jim was sick.Once upon a time, Barbara had wanted to be a doctor, but then she’d looked into the finances of it, as well as the time commitment, and realized those things weren’t exactly compatible with raising a son (on her own, without child support cause Jim’s father had hightailed it out of there within a year of Jim’s life beginning).

“Just in time for the morning rush,” Walter, her coworker, greeted her.“Don’t know how I would’ve endured it if you were a moment later.”

“I had to stop in and talk to Zelda when I dropped Jim off.”Barbara explained after taking the first order of the day and passing the cup down to him so he could prepare the cappuccino.“I had a talk with Jim this morning and finally got through to him so we no longer have to do the whole ‘fake dating’ thing anymore.”

“Ah.”Walter went on to prepare the cup of coffee and hand it over to the customer.“Happy to hear the good news.”

They didn’t have a chance to talk more, as a line gathered.The morning rush had started.

Barbara wiped her brow.A quick glance at the door told her they had a short break in the steady stream of customers.She breathed in relief.She’d been working this job years and could handle it, but still.It was nice not to be in constant motion for a minute.

“So, I was thinking.”Walter wiped his hands with a towel.“The annual Arcadia Local Music Festival opens this weekend.Now that you aren’t _pretend_ dating anyone, I was thinking maybe we could—”

“Sorry.”Barbara stopped him short.“Zelda and I are already going.There’s this band we both like and we already had the tickets.It would be a shame to just waste them.”She winced, realizing how that could sound.“Sorry.Not that going with you would be a waste.It’s just we already had the plans and you know… _sorry_.”

“It’s fine. _Fine_.”Walter made a show of cleaning his work area.“Perhaps another time then?”

“Sure.”Barbara turned away when a customer walked in.

* * *

“I always wanted wings,” Nomura whispered.

She and Barbara were stretched out on their blanket.They’d gotten to the grassy area in front of the festival stage early as to be able to get a good spot.After Barbara had bought some roasted almonds, neither had felt much like wandering around so they’d settled to munch on the sweet treat and talk until the evening show began.

“It never seemed fair.Other changelings got to explore the sky, but not me,”Nomura continued.Absently, she wrapped a stray strand of Barbara’s hair around her fingers.Whereas Nomura had brought a purse large enough to use as a makeshift pillow, Barbara had not.So, the redhead had opted to use Nomura as a pillow instead.This should have been awkward, but both enjoyed being in close proximity to the other too much to say anything about it.

“Hmm.”Barbara vocalized.She shifted so she was lying on her side, facing Nomura.“Trust me?”

“Always.”

Barbara propped herself up on her elbow, before sitting up completely.She shook out her hair and smiled when she noticed Nomura watching her.“Come on.”She reached for Nomura’s hand.“We’re going to the sky.”

“What?”

“I saw hot air balloon rides when we arrived.I’m taking you to the sky.”Barbara checked her watch.“We have time before the first set begins. _Come on_.”Barbara stood and offered her hand again.

“Barbara—”

“Watch our things?”Barbara turned and asked the gay troll couple on the blanket next to theirs.When they nodded the affirmative, she turned back to Nomura with a wild grin.“Come on an adventure with me?”

When they were thousands of feet in the air, alone but for the balloon pilot, Barbara wrapped her arms around Nomura from behind.She took her hands in her own and spread Nomura’s arms out wide.

“Now, you have wings,” Barbara whispered in her ear.

Nomura wiggled around so she was facing Barbara.“I’ve been thinking and, you know how you stole a kiss from me that time after the milkshakes?”

“Hmm…”

“It would only be fair if…”Nomura pulled Barbara in close.“I return the favor.”She captured Barbara’s lips in her own.

When they broke apart in order to breath, Barbara murmured, “I have an idea.”

“Yes?”

“We should date.For real.”

* * *

“I’m confused,” said Toby.“I thought you said your mom and Ms. Nomura weren’t in love?”

“Oh, they are,” clarified Jim while doodling with his crayons.“They just needed me to learn a Valuable Lesson about personal space and stuff so they pretended they weren’t.”

“Oh, okay.Whatcha drawing?”

With pride, Jim held up his doodle.“This is their wedding.See, there’s my mom and there’s Ms. Nomura.Mr. Blinky who lives down the road is super nice so he’s gonna marry them.And there’s me.I get to hold the rings _and_ the flowers _and_ have the first slice of cake cause I’m the kid…”

* * *

“What’s your favorite movie?”Jim asked Nomura.They were crouched in front of Jim and Barbara’s DVD collection.From the kitchen, they could hear the popping of instant popcorn packs in the microwave and Barbara humming to herself as she got out some bowls.

“Hmm.”Nomura tapped her finger against her chin.Most of the movie options were kid films, so, though she was familiar with them, none were particular favorites.“How about this one?”She plucked _The Iron Giant_ from the stack.It was a movie she could see Jim loving.

“You guys pick one?”Barbara walked in the room, carrying three bowls of buttered popcorn.

“Ms. Nomura wants to watch _The Iron Giant,_ Mom!”Animated movie in hand, Jim rushed up to his mom.“She passes the test!”He loudly whispered to her.

Barbara smiled.“Oh, she does, does she?”She carefully put the popcorn bowls down and sat on the couch.“I should hope so.Cause I have to ask her something.”She winked at Jim, and then gave Nomura a knowing look.

Nomura had asked Barbara The Question first about week ago, on a very romantic trip to the beach, just the two of them.At sunset.Where they’d walked barefoot along the shoreline while holding hands.Barbara had said “yes” then, but they’d also agreed to do it a second time, so Jim could be involved too.

So, this time, Barbara got to ask Nomura,

“Marry me?”


	4. A Matter of Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was originally a writing exercise, but it kept going. I'm adding it here cause it's technically a part of the story.
> 
> What can I say, I can't resist the image of kid troll!Jim roughhousing with Draal like a lion cub playing with a grown (very awkward) lion?

“Mhmm.Good morning.”Nomura rolled over.Languidly, she wrapped an arm around Barbara and buried her nose in her fiancee’s hair.It was Saturday, so neither of them had to work.They hadn’t done anything more than cuddle the night before, considering the presence of Jim in the next room over, but the night still had been quite enjoyable.

Nomura was looking forward to an equally calm and peaceful morning.

“Brace yourself.” Barbara murmured.

“What?”

_Thump.Thump.Thump.Thump._

The bedroom door squeaked open.Something large flung itself on top of them.

“GOOD MORNING!”Jim yelled.

“Told you.”Barbara twisted around to face her son.She lunged, grabbed him in a tackle, and wrestled him to the end of the bed.

After a minute of observing, Nomura realized they were play fighting.It made sense.Jim was _half-troll_.Troll whelps his age were generally rather fight-y.Eager to test out their developing strengths, they’d seek out sparring partners.Either other whelps, who doubled as playmates, or older members of the tribe who could teach them crucial skills they’d need later on in life.

Jim, Nomura realized, since he was growing up in the human world, had neither.He had friends and his mother, who clearly was trying to fill in the role, but none of them were _trolls_.They could nurture him, but there was still something missing from his education.

She shifted into troll form.Until now.

Immediately after she transformed, Jim charged and butted his horns against her.She shoved him back with a hand.Laughing, he rammed her again.This time, Nomura let him hit her.She threw herself down on the bed and flopped down, pretending that he’d actual damage (an old troll technique to encourage whelps).Jim jumped on her stomach.

“Are you okay, Ms— _Zelda_?”He asked her.He pressed his hands down on her shoulders so he could lean forward and peer into her face.

“Yes.”Nomura tousled his hair.“It’s takes more than that to take me down, little gynt.”

“Really, so does that mean you wanna play fight later too?”Jim leaned in closer to her, so his nose was bare centimeters from her own.“Cause Mom wears out really fast and I’m not allowed to roughhouse with Toby since this one time where I sorta…” His smile vanished and his ears drooped.“I’m a _lot_ stronger than Toby,” he admitted, under his breath.

So that was why young Mr. Domzalski had had a broken arm last school year.Nomura filed the little factoid away at the back of her mind.“Of course.”Nomura pushed herself up so Jim was forced off her.He landed unceremoniously in her lap.“If it’s ok with your mom, that is?”She looked to Barbara, who’d been watching them with a smile.Barbara nodded.

The play fighting resumed.

Later, while they were washing syrup, waffle crumbs, and crushed blueberry goop off the breakfast plates, Nomura told Barbara, “I have an idea.About Jim.”She hesitated.“About him learning troll things.”

Barbara glanced toward the entrance to the room, but Jim was still upstairs brushing his teeth.“Sure.What is it?”

“I have an old friend—an ex—who’s a troll.We split years ago, but have come to be on amicable terms since then.Jim needs a troll, a _full_ one, to teach him about that part of himself.”

“You seemed to be doing just fine earlier.”There was a sharpness to Barbara’s voice.She scrubbed at some syrup on a plate with more force than necessary.

Nomura’s gut twisted.This wasn’t a conversation she knew how to navigate, or really wanted to.But, if she was going to continue this relationship with Barbara, they were going to have to talk about it at some point.“I can only do so much.I’m not fully—I did not grow up amongst the trolls nor do I have a complete knowledge of their ways.”As a kid, she’d tried to befriend other whelps.The word, _impure_ , had been flung at her more than she cared to admit.

With a loud _clank_ , Barbara put the plate down on the drying rack.“Jim isn’t a full troll, either.He’s part human.He’s—”

“He has horns and more strength than he knows how to control,” Nomura interrupted.She squeezed her eyes closed.Opened them.“He already hurt young Mr. Domzalski without meaning to.I’m not a fighter.”At least not in the same way trolls were.Nomura knew enough to defend herself, but to teach _that_?She’d considered it while showering an hour ago and, no.She would not— _could not_ —teach Jim changeling methods.“Not in the way he needs.”

Barbara sighed.“And this ex of yours?You trust her?Because if she so much as—”

“I’d _never_ put Jim in danger.”Nomura bit back a snarl.The very _thought_.He wasn’t technically her child, but so long as she and Barbara were together, he was in all the ways that mattered.“Draal has come a long way since I first knew him.”Mostly through therapy.Lots of therapy.Nomura didn’t mention that, though.It wasn’t her truth to tell. 

When Barbara gave her a questioning look, she explained, “We were together before I figured out I was gay.”And before Draal had addressed his prejudice issues when it came to changelings.They hadn’t exactly been the greatest for each other.Their relationship had started as an opposites attract-type of thing.It had quickly morphed into them taking out their frustrations and issues on each other until they finally just split up after their worst argument over a year later.

Nomura hadn’t seen Draal again until after she’d started dating her second girlfriend.He’d sought her out to apologize and make amends.In the between time since they’d seen each other, he’d been working through his problems (with some professional help) and realized how poorly he’d acted toward her.She’d taken the opportunity to apologize for her past behavior too.

Now, they maintained a casual friendship where they’d sometimes get drinks and bitch about life.Her, mostly about what most recent ridiculous thing a student’s parent had done.Him, about the prevalence of romance tropes in media and how much, as an aromantic, he hated it.

Most of this, Nomura waited to explain to Barbara until later that night.After they put Jim to bed and had the opportunity to talk privately.

Eventually, Barbara agreed to set up a meeting with Draal so he could show Jim how to be a troll.

* * *

To say Barbara was apprehensive about this decision was an understatement.Worry gnawed at her gut the entire way to the park.She trusted Nomura.She did.But she was also Jim’s parent and she had to look out for him first and foremost.

A quick glance to the ring on her finger reminded Barbara that soon Nomura would have a parental role too towards her son.She’d have to learn to trust Nomura with decisions like this at some point.But still.

She’d met Draal.There was absolutely no way she’d let him anywhere near Jim without a preliminary meeting first.He _seemed_ trustworthy enough.Genuine enough.But there’d also been another troll who’d gained Barbara’s trust once.It hadn’t ended well for her, even if Jim had come out of that mess as a silver lining.

It was just, in the past eight years, Barbara had depended on no one but herself for decisions like this, that involved Jim.The world was a dangerous place for her son.The only way to be certain she could keep him safe was to be extremely careful who she let near him.

Falling in love with Nomura was one thing.Trusting her with Jim was something else entirely.

Barbara parked the car and glanced at her son in the rearview mirror.“You ready, kiddo?”She asked him, even though she knew she wasn’t.

“Yeah, Mom!”Jim unbuckled his seatbelt.

Barbara locked the doors before he could open his.“Just remember, we can leave whenever you want.If you get uncomfortable or—”

“I’ll be _fine_ , Mom!”Jim rolled his eyes.“Zelda said Mr. Draal is really cool _and_ I can play rough with him cause his a big, tough troll guy.”

“If you’re sure.”Barbara bit back a sigh.She unlocked the doors so Jim could get out, grabbed her purse, and exited the vehicle.

Draal was big, blue, spiky, and had the most massive horns Barbara had ever seen.He waited for them at a picnic table.As far as trolls went, he was fairly intimidating, but Jim had zero problems running up to him and headbutting him in the chest.

“Was that good?”Jim asked immediately after.“Mr. Blinky, my neighbor from down the road, is a troll and he says trolls headbutt each other a lot and stuff and he doesn’t like that but still that’s what trolls do and I’m part troll and—”

Draal, while regaining his breath, put up a hand to stop Jim.“Wow there, kid.No one told me you were this talkative.”

Jim’s face fell.“Is that bad?”

“No, no.”Draal looked to Barbara with an expression that clearly said, _please help me I have no idea how to kids._

“How about you show Jim some cool troll moves?”She offered.That was why they were here, after all.

“YEAH!”Jim’s face lit up.

Barbara sat down at the picnic table and watched as Draal and Jim roughhoused.They’d stop every now and then for Draal to show Jim how to improve his stance or share a new technique with him.Barbara heard Draal ask if Jim was alright more than once.Slowly, she began to relax.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.


	5. Lemony

“I know you love pottery, but this?  This is  _ridiculous_.”  Barbara huffed.  “And where’d you put my silverware?!”

Nomura tried, and utterly failed, to hide her laughter.  “You don’t get your fork back until you admit this—” she gestured to the wedding cake sample on the table in front of them “—is a brilliant idea.”

“ _Zelda._   I.  Am.  Not.  Admitting.  That.”

Nomura scooped up a portion of cake—expertly made to look an ancient Athenian vase—with her spoon.  She waited for the perfect moment, when Barbara opened her mouth to protest again, and fed the cake to her fiancee.

“Hey—mhmm.”  Barbara stopped.  Swallowed the cake.  “Okay, that is really good.  Lemony.  I like—no.  No,  _Zelda_ , you have not won.  You—” She started to laugh.  She bent over with her elbows resting on the table.

“Is something the matter?”  The proprietor of the wedding cake shop came over to them with concern written across her face.  “If that one isn’t to your satisfaction, I have plenty other options available.”

“She’s fine.”  Nomura said, smiling at Barbara.  “But we would like to try some more cakes too.”  She thought for a minute.  “Do you have anything that incorporates chocolate-covered strawberries?”

“I’m sure I do.  I’ll be right back.”

When the proprietor left, Barbara tapped Nomura on the shoulder.  When Nomura turned to her, she quickly shoved a spoon full of cake in Nomura’s mouth.  “My turn,” she whispered.

“Mhmm.  You were right.  Lemony.”  Nomura smacked her lips after eating the cake.

Barbara leaned in and kissed her.


	6. Will You Love Me?

It was almost like a fairytale, how beautiful everything was.Barbara found herself meandering down the aisle.Her hand absently drifted over the empty seats until she reached the first row.There wasn’t an altar or anything set up.Neither her nor Zelda were religious.They’d agreed they wanted this ceremony just between them anyway.No symbolic inclusion of deities.Just a square space flanked by flower arrangements marked the spot where they would be wed.

Barbara wrapped her arms around herself.She turned and faced the main setup.It really was pretty.Thick flower garlands were woven into a large tent frame, creating a ceiling completely of blooming vines dangling from above.Lilies, roses, violets.She remembered when they’d discussed which flowers to have.It had taken a frustrating amount of time to agree on them.The location itself, too, had been a tough decision.Their wedding wasn’t exactly going to be a massive event, but that didn’t mean it should happen just anywhere either.They’d eventually gone with an overlook over Arcadia, one near the woods that could be easily covered over for the safety of their trollish guests.

Nothing, Barbara supposed, could ever just be _simple_.

Not that she wanted her wedding to be simple.She wanted it to be _special_.It was just.If this was what it was like to _plan_ the event that signified the start of the marriage, what would the marriage itself be like?On the one hand, she already knew what life with Zelda was like.They’d lived together for over a year.On the other, could all of that change?Sure it wasn’t _likely_ , but…

Butterflies danced in Barbara’s stomach.She put a hand over them, hoping that would calm herself, but it did little to help.She inhaled.Let her breath out slowly.It was just pre-wedding nerves.She loved Zelda and Zelda loved her.That was all that mattered.

She should really go finish getting ready.There wasn’t much time left until the ceremony.

It was when she reached the bottom of the hill, a midway point between the setup and the small camp of cars, vans, and a few trailers (meant to act as mobile dressing rooms), that Barbara ran into Walter.

His eyes fell on her.Something in Barbara’s gut twisted at the way he was _looking_.She did a mental recap of their (admittedly very short) guest list.No, Walter wasn’t on it.She considered him a good acquaintance from work, but not one she felt comfortable having here.At her _wedding_.

“Walter, what are you—?”

He rushed up to her and grabbed her hands in his own.He pulled her in close.Too close.“Run away with me?”His question came out in a breathless rush.

“What?”Barbara yanked herself out of his grip.“Just. _What_?”

“Barbara, I am madly in love with you.I came here to stop you from making the worst mistake of your life.I can make you so much more happy than that _thing_ ever could.I—”

Barbara pressed her lips together in a thin line.“Walter.You need to leave. _Now_.”

“But I—”

“I said _now._ ”Barbara clenched her hands into fists.“Before I do something I regret.”Like punch him in the face.

“Barbara—”

Rather than punch him, Barbara took a breath and shoved her way past Walter.Zelda hated it when she resorted to punching people to defend her.

Walter lost his balance and landed in a mud patch anyway.Serves him right.

No one.No one called Zelda a _thing_.

* * *

“I can’t do this.”Nomura put her head in her hands.“It’s all a big mistake.We need to call off the wedding.I need a getaway car.Otto, you can get me one?”She groaned.“I can’t ask Barbara to spend the rest of her life with me.I—I’m _me_ and she’s…” Beauty.Perfection.Someone who could do far better than a _changeling_.Far, far better.

Otto muttered something under his breath in German.If she weren’t so preoccupied, Nomura would have been able to translate it, but she had bigger issues on her mind just then.

“If this were any other day, mein freund,”Otto began.“I would tell you, you are acting in such a way that is beneath you.Then I would make a joke at your expense.”He reached over to her, took her chin in his hand, and lifted her head up so she was looking at him.“Since today is your wedding day, I’ll not make the joke, but inform you it will happen at a moment of my choosing in the future.”

“Otto—”

“You love Barbara, yes?”He interrupted her.

“Yes.I do, but—”

Otto laughed.“Then say those words.But to _her_.When you’re up there, standing before the old goat.”He patted her shoulder twice.“If not for yourself, for me.I wagered NotEnrique that you’d go through with it.I’d prefer not to lose that bet.”

“You made a bet on my _wedding_?”Nomura shot him a dirty look.

“Our mutual friend can be very, shall we say, convincing?”Otto smirked.“Now help a friend out, get married, and win me a bet?”

Nomura laughed dryly.“I should un-invite you for this.”

Otto looked smug.“You won’t.You wouldn’t have anyone to convince you not to ruin your life.”

“I suppose that’s true.”Nomura smiled.“Thanks, Otto.”

* * *

In the woods, a little distance from everyone else, where they’d both gone to clear their heads, Barbara and Nomura ran into each other.Sort of.

“Does it still count as bad luck if we technically can’t see each other?”Barbara mused from her side of the oak tree.

Nomura shrugged.Though, since she was on the opposite side of the tree, Barbara couldn’t see her.“I’m not sure.Do you want it to be?”

“No, not really.”Barbara paused.“Why are you out here anyway?I wanted to clear my head.Walter showed up and…”She audibly sighed.“He wanted me to run away with him.I told him—well, I shoved him in a mud puddle.I think he got the message.”She risked a look around the tree, but Nomura wasn’t in her range of sight.“Are you, are you mad?”

“No,” Nomura immediately answered.“Not at you, at least.But if I see him, let’s just say I’ll have some choice words for him.”She hesitated, and then asked, “Did you consider it?”The man was much more _normal_ than her.Arguably, he was a better—safer—match for Barbara.

Barbara retorted,“Of course not!I—Zelda, if we’re having this conversation, should we even be getting married now?We have to be able to trust each other.I don’t want to end up, I don’t know, feeling like we have to keep things from each other.”

“I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have asked that.”Nomura debated glancing around the tree to see if Barbara was leaving, but ultimately decided against it.“I’m nervous.I’ve never been _married_ before.Trust isn’t exactly easy.”

“I know it isn’t.It’s okay.We’re talking about it.That’s a good thing, right?As long as we can talk through things, we’ll be alright.”Barbara bit her lip.“I wish I could see you.”

Nomura answered, “Close your eyes.”

Barbara did.“What are you—?”Then, she felt Nomura take her hands in her own.“Zelda—”

“My eyes are closed too.I felt my way around the tree.The old saying only has to do with _seeing_ each other before the ceremony, so I think we have a pretty good loophole.”Nomura whispered.“It’s hard for me to trust.”Her hands tightened their grip around Barbara’s.“And it’s hard for me to not think that you’d be better off with someone else.Someone better.But I love you and I want to be with you.”

“There’s no one better than you.At least not for me.”Barbara hesitated.“I’m scared of the future, of things changing between us, but I love you.I can’t imagine a future that doesn’t have you in it.”

“If I kissed you before the ceremony, would it be bad luck?”

“Maybe, but I would like it.”Barbara laughed.“If we can manage it without looking.”

“I’d like to try,” Nomura whispered.Her hands traced over Barbara’s shoulders and made their way up to cup her face.She pulled her in closer.

It took a bit of fumbling for their lips to find each other’s, but then they kissed.

* * *

“I now pronounce you—”

Jim shouted “My mom and my other mom!” before Vendel could finish.

The old troll gave him a look and sighed.“Yes, that.Together you are both now guardian to that energetic imp.I wish you both the best in your parenting endeavors.”He was about to finish the ceremony with a more traditional, “wife and wife” statement, but this time it was Barbara and Nomura who stopped him.By kissing.

“I give up.”Vendel grumbled quietly.“But, you are now married.”He gave them a small smile.“And, if I might say, a well-made match.”

Nomura and Barbara were too busy with each other to pay him much mind.

Barbara pulled back first, but kept her forehead pressed against Nomura’s.“We should stop.Everyone’s watching.”

“So?What if they think we’re fake-getting married?”Nomura grinned.“We should continue kissing.Just to convince them it’s real.”

“I mean, we were engaged for quite a while and—oh, you mean that as an excuse to just keep kissing, don’t you?”Barbara laughed.

Nomura murmured.“Perhaps.”She stroked Barbara’s jawline with a finger before pressing her lips against it.“Any objections?”

“No, not really, but Jim’s going to want cake at some point if he hasn’t already snuck to the reception area for it.”

“Good point.”

Barbara grinned mischievously.“Continue later?”

“Absolutely.”

Later that night, long after they’d left the reception, where Jim stood up on the table and gave a rousing speech about how this had all been _his_ idea and then told an abridged version of “How I Got My Moms Together” (recorded on camera by NotEnrique for later use in embarrassing Jim when he hit his teenage years), Barbara and Nomura settled in each other’s arms for the night.

It was the start of something entirely new, and they were looking forward to the adventures their marriage would bring.


End file.
